Pictures at an Exhibition - just the piano

[dirkronk]

My choices haven't changed since my post on the other thread that Que pointed to. Richter is essential IMO. But add:

Horowitz (Carnegie Hall live, NOT the studio version) is on a very high level. At some point, you should hear this.

Byron Janis on Mercury. Excellent performance AND good sound.

William Kapell. Live Frick recital (from the main RCA multi-CD set) or Australia concert tour (available on CD finally on Kapell Rediscovered)--do listen to one of these.

Haven't heard Kissin and am curious to do so. Ditto the Barry Douglas and Tiempo versions that Holden mentions. A choice that may be impossible to find on CD (don't think it was ever transferred) was the very young Lorin Hollander on RCA LP; I'm going on pure memory--and that's always iffy--but I do recall this as an interesting performance. I'll play my copy this week sometime and report if I still hold it in esteem.

Cheers,

Dirk

[ezodisy]

In addiition to Drasko's recommendations I would add as a third the live Moiseiwitsch recording on Pearl. It is a quite different, old school, and very passionate performance. That is a really good 2CD set.

edit: yeah Milos it's well worth hearing. From memory I think it's uncut.

edit2: there's an odd cut in the Largo of the Chopin third sonata however. He leaves out one of the repeats of the central section. It's too bad, because otherwise it's one of the best renditions of that movement I've heard.

edit3: I'd like to hear that set again too. Send me a copy please 

[mn dave]

Horowitz (Carnegie Hall live, NOT the studio version) is on a very high level. At some point, you should hear this.

Which one is this?

[DFO]

That's the live one, 1951 (and better that the studio one from 1947).

[mn dave]

That's the live one, 1951 (and better that the studio one from 1947).

Thanks, DFO.

[Drasko]

edit3: I'd like to hear that set again too. Send me a copy please 

Would you like me to send it to our mutual friend Desmond, that's if some cheapish copy pops up at amazon?

[ezodisy]

Would you like me to send it to our mutual friend Desmond, that's if some cheapish copy pops up at amazon?

Desmondinho the Great, yes please. I checked RMCR for reassurance that age has not yet fully disabled my memory and was happy to see that Samir and Jan Winter both highly recommend it, if you want second and third opinions. I wait.

[Mandryka]

Leif Ove Andsnes South African-born visual artist Robin Rhode, have created a special programme entitled Pictures Reframed which centres around Mussorgsky's epic piano cycle Pictures at an Exhibition combining music, video and still imagery.
http://www.yatzer.com/assets/Article/1926/images/robin-rhode-and-leif-ove-andsnes-presentation-at-yatzer_7.jpg  http://www.whitewallmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/3905986085_5099a48125.jpg http://image.betamonline.com/sdimages/upc06/5099996700525.jpg

The art and DVD  intrigue me here.

Has anyone got the set? Is it stimulating?

[kishnevi]

Leif Ove Andsnes South African-born visual artist Robin Rhode, have created a special programme entitled Pictures Reframed which centres around Mussorgsky's epic piano cycle Pictures at an Exhibition combining music, video and still imagery.
http://www.yatzer.com/assets/Article/1926/images/robin-rhode-and-leif-ove-andsnes-presentation-at-yatzer_7.jpg  http://www.whitewallmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/3905986085_5099a48125.jpg http://image.betamonline.com/sdimages/upc06/5099996700525.jpg



The art and DVD  intrigue me here.

Has anyone got the set? Is it stimulating?

I have the standard CD edition.  No art.  No video.  But what  I consider a very good performance of the music by Andsnes, paired with an equally good Kinderszenen.  Which leaves me quite satisfied not to have the DVD / book version,  because (especially since I'm not a fan of modern non-representational art) I'm fairly certain I would be less pleased by the visual elements.

[George]

Listened to Natan Brand's recording of this work last night and was blown away by the intimate approach. I honestly didn't care for this work very much until I heard Brand's interpretation. It is now my favorite version of this work, it's even better than Richter. 

[bluto32]

I found this old thread while searching for Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" (for piano). Does anyone have any views on these modern recordings:

• Peter Donohoe (Signum, released 2019)
• Paul Lewis (Harmonia Mundi, released 2015)
• Steven Orborne (Hyperion, released 2013)

[david johnson]

Byron Janis on Mercury is the one I have.  I go to the Ravel orchestration more often, Kublik/CSO and Reiner/CSO, mostly.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Enjoying these recordings.

[Hobby]

I found this old thread while searching for Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" (for piano). Does anyone have any views on these modern recordings:

• Peter Donohoe (Signum, released 2019)
• Paul Lewis (Harmonia Mundi, released 2015)
• Steven Orborne (Hyperion, released 2013)

The Steven Osborne recording is excellent and won a Gramophone award

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The Steven Osborne recording is excellent and won a Gramophone award

I noticed that the poster to whom you had replied to that their query was rather old; hopefully they'll still see it.  Out of curiosity, I checked on youtube and there are a number of tracks from it (under Steven Osborne - Topic).  Will have to give it a listen to later.  The only recording that I have of it is with Richter (which I love though the sound is a bit harsh).

PD

[Hobby]

It is now available for streaming. I have on Qobuz but also on cd.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It is now available for streaming. I have on Qobuz but also on cd.

Have you heard S. Richter's live recording of it (live - Sofia)?  If so, how would you compare the two?

PD